FanPost

A Quick Look At Remaining Targets

With 2014 winding down, there seems to be some frustration around the BBB community about the gaping holes on this roster. Luckily for the Jays, there seems to be several options remaining to fill needs at 2B, CF and in the bullpen. Here is a quick look at my targets that could make some sense for the Jays:

Second Base

I think we can all agree that 2B needs to be addressed. The Jays have ranked dead last in WAR (at 2B) over the last two seasons and it probably isn't the best idea to rely too heavily on Devon Travis at this point. I can't advocate for Everth Cabrera given the off-field issues. If Stephen Drew is really looking for around $9M then forget that. Zobrist is a pipe dream but I expect the Jays would be in on him if Norris/Pompey/Sanchez/Hutchison were not involved. AA has traded for a one year rental before (Josh Johnson) and has a lot riding on 2015. If Osuna &Travis+ could get it done I think AA would be all in, but I see SF and WASH being more aggressive.

I like Toritani. Strong plate discipline, decent defence and at least a bit of power could translate well to the MLB. He has the ability to shift over to SS and shouldn't break the bank in the process. Why not?

Who I really like though is Kelly Johnson. Though it seems he will only get 2-3M in free agency, he has posted a 95 wrc+ since leaving the Jays. Compare that with Drew's 85 wrc+ and Asdrubal Cabrera's 96 wrc+ over that time frame. He has not shown much of a split throughout his career and should not have to be platooned. Johnson will be 33 next season, but hasn't really shown he can't handle 2B defensively. Though he has been graded as a slightly below average defender for his career, I expect Johnson to be at least adequate defensively (even if not league average). Sign me up.

I would actually like to add two middle infielders before opening day. Reyes has had injury problems in the past and Goins/Tolleson do not seem like great replacements. I'd be interested in Cliff Pennington and Zack Cozart, if available. These players could provide solid depth and provide a strong defensive replacement for Reyes. Both players have accumulated more WAR than Asdrubal over the last two seasons. I would really like to see improved depth up the middle, rather than relying on Goins/Tolleson if Reyes goes down.

Centre Field

The Jays' outfield is a starting CF away from being set. Dalton Pompey could contribute sooner rather than later, but it probably isn't the best idea to have him as the only option. If Pompey is on the MLB roster he will be an everyday player. When he gets the call, the OF acquired likely becomes the 4th OF. The Jays could also move Jose Bautista to 1B and take Justin Smoak out of the lineup. Having to move people around the field to get Pompey in the lineup is a good problem to have. Forcing Pompey to be the starting CF, when it is not clear if he is ready, is not a good problem to have.

This player will likely come via trade. Peter Bourjos is one heckuva player. The Cardinals have Holliday-Jay-Hayward with Grichuk in the fold. I expect him to take quite the haul. Even after posting 5.6 WAR over the last two seasons, Jarrod Dyson still doesn't have a starting spot on the Royals. Gregor Blanco is in a similar situation and played behind Michael Morse for the majority of 2015. If they do acquire another LF, Blanco could very well be expendable.

The most likely source for a CF appears to be the San Diego Padres. The Padres have J.Upton, Myers and Kemp in the fold with Venable, Maybin, Quentin, Liriano and Almonte in the fold. Someone has to go. Will Venable seems like a great fit. For his career he owns a 109 wrc+ vs. RHP and a 80 wrc+ vs. LHP. Venable has been a slightly above average defender in CF over his career and is a fairly strong baserunner. He has one year left remaining on his contract at 4.25M. That would provide a nice stop gap before Pompey is ready, while his salary aligns nicely with both Marco Estrada and Dioner Navarro's deals. A third team may need to be involved, but I see Venable as a great fit.

Maybin is an interesting target as well. He is a strong defender in CF, while having a 4.2 WAR season to his name. The Padres would have to eat some money, but he is an interesting buy-low candidate.

Bullpen

I expect Marco Estrada to be the 5th starter until Daniel Norris is deemed ready. I also expect Aaron Sanchez to start the year in the bullpen, which should help the big league team significantly. The closer market still has plenty of interesting options. Rodriguez/Soriano and Janssen seem to be decent free agent options. Tyler Clippard is a nice piece but I don't see all that much surplus value there for 9M. If the Phillies eat enough money, Jonathan Papelbon makes a lot of sense.

I don't expect the Jays to meet the price for Holland. If the Jays can land one of the 5 relievers above they should be fine in the bullpen. Then add a Villaneuva/ Ottavino/ Belisario/ Badenhop and the bullpen is just about good to go. I really like Chris Martin in the Rockies organization and the Jays recent pickup Preston Guilmet.

Summary

IMO, it is too early to be worried about the gaping holes in the roster. There are plenty of options at 2B, CF and the bullpen that can provide help within the Jays budget. As long as there are strong options remaining, i'm willing to be patient and wait to see what AA can pull off.

What do you think of the targets listed in this fanpost? Who else is on your radar? Look forward to hearing from everyone, and have a Happy New Year!

Editor's Note: This is a FanPost written by a reader and member of Bluebird Banter. It was not commissioned by the editors and is not necessarily reflective of the opinions of Bluebird Banter or SB Nation.